Earring



T. A. KOHLER Dec. 13, I949,

EARRIN? Filed May 9, 1946 Patented Dec. 13, 1949 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

The invention relates to earrings.

One object of the invention is to provide an earring which includes members adapted to engage the inner and outer surfaces of the lower portion of the concha of the ear to securely support the earring without excessive pressure on the ear and which comprises slidably connected sections which permit the earring to be easily and quickly applied to and removed from the ear.

Another object of the invention is to provide an earring which includes sections which are connected for attachment to and removable from the ear by a slidable connection which is frictionally self-retaining to facilitate the placement of the earring on the ear and its removal therefrom.

Other objects of the invention appear in the detailed description.

The invention consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of an earring embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, the portion of the ear to which the earring is applied being indicated by dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a perspective of the section which is formed of plate metal.

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the section which is formed of wire.

Fig. 5 is a plan of the blank from which the plate metal section is formed.

The invention is exemplified in an earring which comprises a section generally designated a, and a section generally designated b, which are slidably connected and provided, respectively, with confronting members for engaging the inner and outer surfaces of the lower portion of the concha of the ear.

Section a is preferably formed of sheet metal and comprises a disk-like member ill which is adapted to fit the concave inner surface of the lower portion of the concha of the ear and is concavo convex to measurably conform to said surface, and a depending integral leg II adapted to extend downwardly in front of the lobe of the ear.

Section b is formed of a single strip of wire and comprises; a loop It in confronting relation with the disk-like member I and which is adapted to engage the outer surface of the lower portion of the concha of the ear; a pair of legs I depending from the ends of loop I 4, respectively; lower portions I6 adapted to extend under the lobe of the ear; and upstanding legs or members Il which overlap the front face of leg II on section a and are slidably secured in eyes I8 which are integral with and project forwardly from the front face of leg II. The legs H are of sufficient length for sufiicient sliding movement of section b on section a to permit the disklike member I0 and loop I4 to be shifted into contact with the inner and outer surfaces of the lower portion of the concha and to be separated sufficiently for the convenient insertion of the lobe of the ear between the depending legs I5 on section b and leg I I on section a, and to permit loop I4 and member III to be shifted together into the desired spaced relation for holding the earring on, and without undue pressure or pinching on the ear. One or both of the legs I! are bent or bowed for frictional engagement with the eyes or loops I8 so that sections a and b will be frictionally self-retained in their relatively assigned positions. The upper end of one of the legs I! is offset as at I9 to prevent the withdrawal of the leg H from eye I8 and to prevent complete separation of the sections.

Section at is formed of a single piece of metal, and eyes l8 are formed from tongues projecting from the portion of the blank which forms the depending leg II.

An ornament 20 indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2 of any suitable design, is attached to the front of the earring to conceal the slidable connections between the sections and is usually provided on its back with an attaching screw. In order to provide stock of suflicient thickness for the screw on the ornament for securely attaching it to the earring, the tongue forming one of the eyes I8 is extended and folded across as at 22 against the front face of leg II. This provides a double thickness of metal stock for the screwthread 23 by which the screw on the ornament is attached to the ornament.

Section b is preferably formed of a single piece of wire bent to the contour illustrated in Fig. 4. After the upstanding legs Il have been passed through eyes I B, the upper end of one of said legs is bent as at I9 to prevent complete separation of the sections.

The disk-like member I0 which extends into the ear is provided with a hole 24 for the attachment of a hearing-aid to the earring.

When the earring is to be worn, the sections a and b are slidably spread apart so that member I0 can be inserted into the ear and in contact with the inner surface of the lower portion of the concha and the loop I4 placed under said portion, with the lobe between legs l5 on section b and leg I l on section a, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The dished disk-like member Ill will contact with and conform to the curved concave inner surface of the lower portion of the concha. The sections will then be pushed together until the lower portion of the concha is confined between member 59 and loop .14. The dished member it! will seat in the lower portion of the concha and will be held seated by the loop Id. In order to secure the earring in place, it is not necessary to move member ii] and loop is sufficiently close together to uncomfortably pinch or grip the ear. The frictional or resilient gripping between legs H and eyes i8 will securely hold the sections in their assigned relative positions. In this man ner, the earring may be comfortably worn. When the removal of the earring is desired, the sections are slidably spread apart, whereupon the earring can be easily removed from the ear.

The invention exemplifies; an: earring which: is composed of sections which are slidably connected. and are adapted to be held in assigned spaced relation for holding the earring on the ear without uncomfortable pressure or pinching. Thefrictional gripping between the sections holds them in their assigned spaced relation and securely retains the, earring on the ear with any degree of pressure desired. The construction is simple and includes a plate metal section and a wire section which can be economically fabricated and the plate section is utilized for attachment of the usual ornament and the hearing aid.

The invention is not to be understood as limited to the details described, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An'ear-ring comprising a section of substantially fiat metal having a laterally extending disk like member for engaging the inner surface of the lower portion of the concha of an car; a second section formed of wire, including a loop for ensliding said members apart to receive, and together to engage, the lower portion of the concha.

2; An earring comprising a section of flat metal having a laterally extending disk-like member for engaging the inner surface of the lower portion of the concha of an ear and an integral depending legextending over the front of the lobe of the ear; a second section formed of wire extending under and upwardly at the back of the lobe and including a loop for engaging the outer surface of the concha in confronting relation with the disk member; and a front portion overlapping the leg; and means for slidably connecting the leg and said overlapping portion to permit separation of the disk-like member and the loop for receiving the ear between them.

3. An earring comprising a section of flat metal having a laterally extending disk-like member for engaging the inner surface of the lower portion of the concha of an ear and an integral depending leg extending over the front of the lobe of the ear and provided with means whereby an ornament may be'attached thereto; a second section formed of wire extending under and upwardly at the back of the lobe and including a loop for engaging the outer surface of the concha in confronting relation with the disk member; and a front portion overlapping the leg; and means for slidably connecting the leg and said overlapping portion to permit separation of the disk-like member and the loop for receiving the ear between them.

4. An earring comprising a section of flat metal having a laterally extending disk-like member for engaging the inner surface of the lower portion of the concha of an ear and an integral depending leg extending over the front of the lobe of the ear; a second section formed of wire and including a loop for engaging the outer surface of the lower portion of the concha in confronting relation. with the disk member, a pair of wire legs depending from the loop at the back of the lobe, anda pair of upstanding portions overlapping the legs on the flat metal section; and means for slidably connecting the upstanding; portions to the depending leg, on theflat metal section.

5. An earring comprising a section of flat metal having a laterally extending disk-like member for engaging the inner surface of thelower portion of the concha of an ear and: an integral depending leg extending. over the front of the lobe of the ear; a second section formed ofv wire and including a loop for. engagingtheouter surface of the lower portion of the concha in confronting relation with the disk member, a pair of members depending from the loop, and extended to-provide a pair of upstanding front members, overlapping the leg of plate-metal; and integral eyes on the plate-metal legin which the upstanding front members are slidable.

6. An earring comprising-a section of fiat metal having a laterally extending disk-like member for engaging the inner surface of the lower portion of the concha of an ear and anintegral depending leg extending over the front of thelobe of the ear; a second section formed of wire andincluding a loop for engaging theouter surface of the lower portion of the concha in confronting relation with the disk member,.a pain of. members depending from the loop, and extended to provide a pair of upstanding front-members, overlapping the leg. of plate-metal; and integraleyes on the plate-metal leg in which the upstanding front members are slidable, the-leg of plate-metal having folded portions providing means for. attaching an ornament to the plate-metal member.

7. An earring comprising a front section of substantially flat metal including. a. laterally extending member for engaging the inner surfaces of the lower portion of. the concha of the ear and a depending front leg; a second-section including a pair'of back legs with means at their. upper ends for engaging the outside of the ear-in confront ing relation with said laterally extending member of the'front section; means for" slidably connecting between the back legs tothe depending leg on the front section, and spring means between the depending leg of the front section and said slidable connecting means, for retaining. the sections in adjusted gripping position.

8. An earring comprising a front section: ofsubstantially flat metal including a laterally extending member for engaging the inner surfaces of the lower portion of the concha of; the. ear and a depending front leg; at second section of wire including a pair of back: legs with a cross-connection at their'upper ends for engaging the-outside of the ear into confronting relation withsaid laterally extending member of the'front sectionand upward extensions in front of the ear and connected to the back legs; means for slidably connecting said upward extensions and the depending leg on the front section; and spring means between the depending leg and the upward extensions on the back legs, for retaining the sections in adjusted gripping position.

9. An earring comprising a front section of substantially fiat metal including a laterally extending member of extended area for engaging the inner surfaces of the lower portion of the concha of the ear and a depending front leg; a second section of wire including a pair of back legs with a cross-connection at their upper ends for engaging the outside of the ear into confronting relation with said laterally extending member of the front section and upward extensions in front of the ear and connected to the back legs; slidable connections between said upward extensions and the depending leg on the front section; said upward extensions being resilient for retaining the sections in adjusted gripping relation.

THOMAS A. KOHLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,774,267 Hanke Aug. 26, 1930 2,040,083 Elliott et a1 May 12, 1936 

